| If you refuse to listen to me and do not sincerely resolve to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse on you, and I will turn your blessings into a curse. Indeed, I have already done so because you have not heeded my warning. | “If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.” |
| Now, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession from among all the peoples, for the entire earth is mine. | Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine. |
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| Welcome anyone whose faith is weak, but do not get into arguments about doubts. | Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. |
| Be doers of the word and not just hearers who only deceive themselves. | Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. |
| You are the light of the world. A city built upon a mountain cannot be hidden. | You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. |
| Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, so that you will be able to discern the will of God and to know what is good and acceptable and perfect. | Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. |
| For God would not be so unjust as to ignore your work and the love that you have shown for his name by the services you have rendered to the saints and still continue to render. | God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. |
| Therefore, strive to be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. | Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. |
| Now who is going to harm you if you are eager to do what is right? | Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? |
| Adulterers! Do you not know that love of the world results in enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. | You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. |
| Jesus answered them, “Amen, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to this fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be accomplished.” | Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.” |
| Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops. | What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. |
| For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Spirit, and those of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh. They are in conflict with one another, so that you cannot do what you want. | For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. |
| Like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may advance on the path to salvation. | Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. |
| Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest. | Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. |
| Therefore, my beloved brethren, stand firm and immovable, devoting yourselves completely to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. | Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. |
| Therefore, accept one another for the glory of God, just as Christ has accepted you. | Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. |
| The end of all things is near. Therefore, lead disciplined lives and be watchful in prayer. | The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. |
| Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all. | Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. |
| If you forgive others for the wrongs they have done, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. | For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
| Be strong and courageous in your hearts, all you who place your hope in the Lord. | Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. |
| Hence, I advise you to be guided by the Spirit, so that you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. | So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. |
| There is one body and one Spirit, as well as one hope to which you have been called by your vocation. | There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called. |
| Then he said to them, “Go forth into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to all creation.” | He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” |
| For sin is no longer to have any power over you, since you are not under the Law but under grace. | For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. |
